Holy Cross Student Earns Prestigious National Award

Clemmons, a sociology major from Chicago, will use his Watson fellowship pursuing his interest in drumming in Africa and Jamaica. The title of his project is "Behind the Beat: Contemporary Use of the Drum." He will travel to Mali, Ghana and Jamaica to carry out his research. Clemmons, a musician who comes from a musical family, has been playing - piano and guitar - and singing since
he was eight years old.

A member of the College's highly selective Honor's Program, Clemmons is completing his thesis on access to education among the indigenous populations of Latin America. He is a co-chair of the Black Student Union and a member of the Women's Forum. He has also served as a group leader in the College's retreat programs. He is on the student advisory committee for the Center for Religion, Ethics and Culture, and is a member of the College's Diversity Task Force. Since last August, he has volunteered for the Student Mentor Program, mentoring six first-year students.

The Watson Fellowship is an unusual opportunity afforded to 60 students each year chosen from among four nominees from each of 50 preeminent liberal arts colleges and small universities. Nearly 1,000 students applied for the awards this year. It is intended to provide selected students with the opportunity to spend a year away, learning about the wider world and pursuing a project that is of passionate interest. Fellows are awarded $22,000 for their year of travel and study, which must be conducted outside formal academic institutions.